Taqiyah vs Kippah vs Zucchetto (Difference With Pictures)

Taqiyah vs Kippah vs Zucchetto, it’s not so much a debate as an interesting comparison. These are all brimless religious caps worn by men of specific religious communities. They vary in many features, such as shape, material, size, and purpose of wearing. So, lets look at the differences between these unique hats.

The Main Difference

The most prominent difference between these three hats is the religious sects they belong to. These are considered to be sacred and therefore worn only by the members of a particular religious community.

Thr Taqiyah is the sacred cap of the Muslims and is worn by them in all their religious activities, such as the daily five-time prayers and festivals.

The Kippah is the sacred cap of the Jews. Jewish religious authorities are in debate whether to wear them all the time or only during religious activities. However, these are mandatory to be worn in religious activities such as prayers, Bar mitzvahs, or funerals.

Finally, the Zucchetto is a hemispherical cap worn by clergies of the Catholic Church and the Syriac Orthodox Church, among other practioners of Christianity.

Apart from these differences, several other differences are clearly visible and make them easier to identify.

What Is a Taqiyah?

As mentioned before, the Taqiyah is a holy cap of the Muslims. It is worn by Muslim men during religious activities, formal occasions or even casually.

These can be of many colors if worn in isolation; however, it should be white if worn under a Keffiyeh. Muslims believe that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) kept his head covered, and therefore, his followers should also follow the practice.

There are different styles and designs of the Taqiyah. One of the styles is a ‘Topi’ that is worn in many South Asian countries. In the US, it is known as ‘Kufi,’ while in Afghanistan, it is referred to as an ‘Araqchin.’

Distinctive features of a Taqiyah

Taqiyahs can be easily identified simply by looking at them with a trained eye. Some distinctive features are mentioned below:

• It is a rounded skull cap covering the skull but doesn’t fit very tightly on the head. Further, it shows a lot of hair around the forehead, ears, and the back of the head.
• The caps can be cylindrical, hemispherical, boat-shaped, and may have a tassel or a pompom hanging from the crown’s center.
• One common feature of all these hats is that they are made from a mesh-like fabric through which some light passes. Further, they can be made of cotton, wool, or fleece fabrics, suiting the weather conditions.

What Is a Kippah?

The Kippah is a Jewish skull cap. Its literal translation from Hebrew is ‘dome,’ and, as you might expect, it is a dome-shaped cap. In Judaism, the Kippah is a symbol of honoring God. Therefore, some Jewish authorities suggest that the Kippah should be worn all the time and not just during religious activities. However, there is a debate regarding the same within the community.

Distinctive features of a Kippah

• Most of the time, these are knitted caps made of black velvet and are most popular in Israel.
• Certain Kippahs can be worn by women too.
• Kippot (the plural of Kippah) may have inscriptions on them; at times, it is the six-sided star symbol
• Kippahs for babies have strings attached to them for tying them around the chin
• At times, other materials such as suede, satin, buckram can also be used

Various sects within the Jewish community identify themselves to a particular kind of a Kippah.

What Is a Zucchetto?

The Zucchetto is somewhat similar in shape and size to a propeller beanie without the fan blades. It is a Christian holy cap that sits tight to the head but does not completely cover it; it shows a little hair all around.

The shape is very similar to the Jewish Kippah. It has derived its name from the round Zucchini as the vegetable’s top part is how the cap looks like. Sometimes it is also called the Half-pumpkin shape.  

Distinctive features of a Zucchetto

• It has a thin leather lining for insulation and to keep its shape intact. These days cloth lining is more common
• There are stripes on it that divide the hat into six parts, making it look as if it is made of slices similar to a pizza or a newsboy cap
• The color of the Zucchetto represents the rank of the person wearing it. For example, the Pope wears a white Zucchetto while the Cardinals wear a Scarlet one and the Priests, a black one
• At times, it is confused with an Anglican cap; however, that is slightly larger, with a button on the crown
• A Zucchetto is never worn while wearing a suit
• Zucchettos are not mass-produced. These are made by the ecclesiastical tailors and sold by the Church shops

Taqiyah vs Kippah vs Zucchetto

Comparison Properties	Taqiyah	Kippah	Zucchetto
Uses (for)	Religious and Casual Wear	Religious and Casual Wear	Religious Wear
Ideal For	Men	Unisex	Clergy Men
Weight	Very lightweight	Very lightweight	Very lightweight
Waterproof Material	Not-waterproof	Not-waterproof	Not-waterproof
Reflective Material	Non-reflective	Semi-reflective if made from velvet or satin	Non-reflective
Types & Styles	Topi, Kufi, Araqchin	Crocheted, Suede, Velvet, Buckram, Yemenite	Colored based on ranks of Clergymen
Weather	All seasons	All seasons	All seasons
Availability	Easily available	Easily available	Available through Church retail
Prices	$4 – $45	$5 – $400	$100

The Best Taqiyah

The Best Kippah

The Best Zucchetto

Final Thoughts

All three of these caps are religious caps and not fashion accessories. Therefore, they are bought mostly by the members of the community only. However, nowadays, these are also made to look fashionable and attractive for children. For example, cartoon or movie character Kippahs are very popular in the US. They are mandatory for religious activities and should be worn with respect by their respective religions’ followers.